The former gendarmerie

THE NATIONAL GUARD

The National Guard was set up all over the country in 1789 and developed differently depending on the departments, the cantons and the companies. Its principal role was to maintain order and security in towns. The National Guard was dissolved in 1871.

In Clères the Guard patrolled on beats with at least two men who did their rounds at night on itineraries drawn up by officers.

The Clères company included men who were volunteers or recruited from the communes of Clères, Bocasse, Sierville, Houssaye-Bérenger, Grugny, Frichemesnil, Authieux, Ratieville and Claville-Motteville. Le Tôt and Cordeville had their own patrols.

la gendarmerie

The first gendarmerie in Clères was set up in 1847 by a ministerial decision on July 15th 1847 in the outbuildings of ‘ le Petit Château du Friquet’ at the junction of la rue des Colverts, la rue du Marchepied de la Rivière et la rue Spalikowski.

On the pediment above the back door the inscription “Petit Château du Friquet en 1725” can be read.

On June 24th 1872 the gendarmerie was installed in a house belonging to M. Leve situated on the river bank.

This building housed the gendarmerie and accomodation for the gendarmes and their families.

A prison was installed in the yard behind the gendarmerie and it can still be seen today, at the back of the car-park on the right.

Around 1930 the Clères foot-brigade was made up of one sergeant and four gendarmes.

From 1960 the question of transferring the gendarmerie to Montville was discussed and this finally happened on May 31st 1964.

The building was converted into flats and part of the ground floor served as offices for the Public Treasury.

On December 31st 2017 Public Treasury Offices were regrouped in Montville.

Since 2020 a veterinary surgery has occupied the former Public Treasury Offices.